Abstract—This paper presents the upgrading of biomedical engineering laboratory training at the Department of Medical Instrumentation Technology of the Technological Educational Institution of Athens (TEI-A), taking place in the framework of the “Upgrading of Undergraduate Curricula of TEI-A” project. The educational material of selected specialized laboratory sectors is totally renewed, and new sectors are introduced, so that student-centered learning is promoted utilizing advanced computer-enhanced educational environments. The current implementation status is presented for the laboratories dealing with biosignal acquisition, medical data digital processing and, more extensively, computer networks applications in medicine, where a training application simulating a Radiology Department computer network was developed. Benefits of the use of a balanced training approach, combining hands-on experience with computer simulations, are discussed. Keywords—Biomedical engineering, laboratory training, student-centered learning. I. INTRODUCTION The technological innovations that arise internationally with an ever-accelerating pace, present both a challenge and an opportunity for maintaining and developing the quality of higher education. As a response to the needs that emerge, the 3 rd Community Support Framework’s Operational Programs for Greece (2000-2008), include the Operational Program for Education and Initial Vocational Training (OPEIVT), co-financed by the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and national resources. Among other goals, it was designed for promoting education and vocational training within the framework of an integrated system of lifelong learning. Consequently, it will provide the opportunity for adult learners, both at the undergraduate level and in continuing Financial support for this work and its dissemination efforts was provided by the project “Upgrading of Undergraduate Curricula of Technological Educational Institution of Athens”, (APPS program - . . . of Athens), financed by the Greek Ministry of Education and the European Union (Greek Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training -O.P. Education- action: 2.2.2. “Reformation of Undergraduate Studies Programs”). education schemes, to constantly improve their knowledge and skills base. In turn, this will augment the probability of employment retention, as well as retraining opportunities [1]. Upgrading Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Laboratory Training A. Tzavaras, N. Kontodimopoulos, E. Monoyiou, I. Kalatzis, N. Piliouras, I. Trapezanidis, D. Cavouras, E. Ventouras Department of Medical Instrumentation Technology, Technological Educational Institution of Athens, Agiou Spyridonos Str., Egaleo, Athens, 12210, Greece E-mail: ericvent@teiath.gr One of the current trends in higher education is the move towards student-centered learning [2-5]. Student-centered learning environments provide complementary interactive activities, enabling students to address individual learning interests and needs and then to progress into gradually more complex levels of content, so that they further their understanding of each topic. These basic characteristics provide to the student-centered learning approach, which aims mainly at satisfying student needs, an obvious advantage over the traditional teacher-centered, subject- centered environment, which focuses primarily on the transmission of a body of knowledge. Student-centered learning is inherently suitable to laboratory exercises, especially those enhanced by the use of modern multimedia technology. Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a characteristic example of a scientific field in which very rapid and often revolutionary technological innovations lead to new equipment and techniques, and consequently to an increasing degree of diversification. The education provided by the Department of Medical Instrumentation Technology of the Technological Educational Institution of Athens (TEI- A) encompasses the majority of BME aspects and, to date, remains the only higher technological education institution in Greece offering this specialty, at an undergraduate level. In the more general context of upgrading educational practices in all levels of the Greek educational system, funded by the 2 nd OPEIVT, our Department is participating in the project “Upgrading of Undergraduate Curricula of TEI-A” (UUC-TEI-A). In accordance with pre-existing planning of future activities of the Department, the project aims primarily in reforming and upgrading existing laboratory subject matters, and in developing new teaching methods and material [1]. The present paper describes the structure of the project, its current state of implementation and focuses on a special case of educational material developed, concerning the simulation of a Radiology Department computer network. Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology 27th Annual Conference Shanghai, China, September 1-4, 2005 0-7803-8740-6/05/$20.00 ©2005 IEEE. 353